Baseball game with ball deflecting pitcher mechanism

ABSTRACT

A baseball amusement device featuring a bat rotatable by one player either from the right or left hand positions and a pitching mechanism operable by the other player for projecting the ball at varying speed with varying curvature and to drop below the swinging bat, if desired. The pitching mechanism is provided with a rotatable magnet which causes the ball to deviate from a straight line path after it is projected such that the direction of travel of the ball may be controlled permitting straight and curved balls. A trapdoor, mounted within the playing surface immediately preceding the bat, makes it possible for the pitcher to simulate a sinking pitch by causing the ball to pass below the plane of the swinging bat.

[451 May 1,1973

[ BASEBALL GAME WITH BALL DEFLECTING PITCHER MECHANISM [75] Inventor: Taketora Maeda,

Tokyo, Japan Setagaya-ku,

Primary ExaminerAnton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Harry G. Strappello Attorney-Edward S. Irons et al.

[ 5 7] ABSTRACT A baseball amusement device featuring a bat rotatable by one player either from the right orleft hand positions and a pitching mechanism operable by the other player for projecting the ball at varying speed with varying curvature and to drop below the swinging bat, if desired. The pitching mechanism is provided with a rotatable magnet which causes the ball to deviate from a straight line path after it is projected such that the direction of travel of the ball may be controlled permitting straight and curved balls. A trapdoor, mounted within the playing surface immediately preceding the bat, makes it possible for the pitcher to simulate a sinking pitch by causing the ball to pass below the plane of the swinging bat.

2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEDRAY H915 3.730525 SHEET 1 [1F 3 PATENTEU H975 3,730,525

SHEET 3 0F 3 FIG. I0

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the general class of games simulating popular sports, particularly baseball.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns a baseball amusement device permitting two players to alternate as pitcher and batter. A bat is rotatably mounted within the frame and may be swung right or left handed by one player. The pitching mechanism is operable by the other player and features a system for projecting the ball along the surface of the board designed to resemble a baseball field. The pitching mechanism is further provided with a rotatable magnet attracting the ball after it is pitched such that the direction of travel of the ball may be controlled permitting pitching straight and curved balls. Finally, a trapdoor is mounted within the playing surface immediately preceding the batter and operable by the pitcher. In this manner, it is possible to simulate a sinking pitch wherein the ball passes below the plane of the swinging bat.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the baseball amusement device;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22 of FIG. 1 illustrating the pitching and batting mechanisms constituting the subject of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of that portion of the game containing the pitching and batting mechanisms, the top playing surface being removed;

FIG. 4a is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4 4 of FIG. 3 illustrating the trapdoor in raised position permitting the pitched ball to travel in the plane of the swinging bat where contact may be made;

FIG. 4b is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4 4 of FIG. 3 illustrating the trapdoor in lowered position wherein the ball sinks below the bat;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged top plan view of the batting and trapdoor mechanism with portions of the casing thereof removed so as to illustrate the working mechanism; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged top plan view of the magnetic mechanism for curving the pitched ball, the different paths being illustrated in dotted lines.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The baseball game is designated generally by reference numeral 10 in FIG. 1 and comprises a frame 12 containing the operating mechanisms upon which is mounted the playing surface 14 provided with indicia of a baseball diamond and field. Cups 16 are provided at various places on the field for stopping the ball after it is hit. If the ball lands in certain of the cups 16, the batter is out while other cups designate a single, double and the like. Such basic construction is known in the prior art.

At one end of the game are located handles 18 for operating the batting mechanism described in detail hereinafter. At the other end of the game are positioned operating handles 20, 22 and 24 for pitching the ball, operating a magnetic mechanism for varying the path of travel of the pitched ball to simulate curved pitches and operating a trap door mechanism so as to simulate a sinking pitch, respectively, described hereinafter.

The mechanism for operating the pitching mechanism will now be described. As seen in FIG. 3, a rod 26 is mounted medially of the strip 28 comprising a 0 part of the frame 12. One end of rod 26 is attached to operating handle 20 while the other end thereof is formed as a hook 30. The rod 26 is biassed forward by the action of spring 32 secured to the base of strip 28. The hook 30 projects upwardly through an opening in the playing surface 14, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and is located within a terret 32 mounted upon the playing surface 14. An opening 34 is provided in the top of the terret 32 through which the balls may be inserted. As will now be apparent, the player pulls operating rod 20 against the action of spring 32 after which the ball is inserted through opening 34. Release of operating rod 20 causes the rod 26 to move forward at which time the hook 30 contacts the ball propelling same towards the batter.

The operating handle 24 is formed at one end of a rod 36 suitably mounted on strip 28, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The other end'of rod 36 terminates in a bent portion 38 illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. A spring 40 is secured at one end to bent portion 38 of rod 36 and fastened at the other end to the strip 28 through pin 42. The trapdoor is designated by reference numeral 44 and terminates at one end in flanges .46 mounted for rotation within the sidewalls 48, as illustrated in FIGS. 4a and 4b.

As will now be apparent, the spring 40 normally biasses the center portion 50 of the bent portion 38 of rod 36 in the position illustrated in FIG. 4a wherein the central portion 50 supports the lower surface 52 of the trapdoor in its normal, raised position wherein the top surface 54 thereof is aligned with the top surface of the playing board 14, as illustrated in FIG. 4a. As operating rod handle 24 is pulled rearwardly, the central portion 50 moves to the position illustrated in FIG. 4b thus permitting the trapdoor 44 to drop. The all 56 thus passes downwardly below the bat 58 simulating a sinker ball.

Also mounted for reciprocating movement within strip 28 is rod 60 provided at one end with operating handle 22 and secured at the other end to a plate 62 mounted for rotation with respect to the strip 28 through pin 64. A magnet 66 is suitably mounted on plate 62.

As will be apparent from FIGS. 3 and 6, movement of the operating handle 22 forward and backward results in plate 62 being rotated about pin 64 thus rotating magnet 66 from one side to the other. In this manner, the flight of the ball 56 is diverted by the action of the magnet 66 so as to simulate a curved pitch. The pitch may be curved to the right or left depending upon the position of operating handle 22.

The batting mechanism will now be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 5. Sockets 68 are appropriately joumaled within strip 28. The bottom of the bat 58 is provided with a base portion which fits within either of the sockets68. In this manner, the game can be played by either right or left hand batters.

Resilient straps 70 are wound around sockets 68 and suitably attached at first ends to springs 72 and at their other ends to slidably mounted rods 74 to which operating handles 18 are fastened. As will be apparent, as either of the handles 18 is pulled rearwardly the strap 70 moves against the force of spring 72 rotating the socket 68 causing the bat 58 to rotate.

I claim 1. In a baseball amusement device provided with a playing surface and a movable bat, the combination of a pitching mechanism comprising means for propelling a ball towards the bat, means regulating the lateral travel of the ball and means permitting the ball to pass downwardly below the bat including an opening formed in said device below said bat, a door rotatably mounted within said opening and means lowering said door permitting the ball to pass downward.

2. In a baseball amusement device as in claim 1, said means regulating the lateral travel of the ball comprising a plate rotatably mounted to said device and positioned below the path of travel of the ball, a magnet mounted on said plate and means rotating said plate permitting said magnet to rotate thus deflecting the ball from its normal path of travel. 

1. In a baseball amusement device provided with a playing surface and a movable bat, the combination of a pitching mechanism comprising means for propelling A ball towards the bat, means regulating the lateral travel of the ball and means permitting the ball to pass downwardly below the bat including an opening formed in said device below said bat, a door rotatably mounted within said opening and means lowering said door permitting the ball to pass downward.
 2. In a baseball amusement device as in claim 1, said means regulating the lateral travel of the ball comprising a plate rotatably mounted to said device and positioned below the path of travel of the ball, a magnet mounted on said plate and means rotating said plate permitting said magnet to rotate thus deflecting the ball from its normal path of travel. 